Good Ampersand Products

Office Products & More

Does Swag Work? (fastcompany)

Look around your office. Chances are, you’ve got a logo item somewhere. A pen,
a bottle opener, a coffee mug, a tote bag or umbrella--something imprinted
with the name of a business, nonprofit organization, or school.

You’re not alone. In a 2009 survey by PPAI Research, 3 out of 4 consumers
reported having at least one promotional product in their workspace. In fact,
nearly 6 in 10 claimed they had between two and eleven products, or more.

This year, the U.S. promotional products industry is estimated to be a $17.4
billion market. To put that figure in perspective, American wineries have
annual revenues of $14 billion, breakfast cereal manufacturers have revenues
of $12 billion, and movie ticket sales are about $10 billion. Americans will
spend more on swag this year than they do on amusement parks and arcades, more
than on dry cleaning, more than on coffee shops including Starbucks and
Peet’s.

Swag sells. But, why? And more importantly, can it really do much to promote
your brand?

For starters, the range of promotional products is far broader than their
“tchotchke” reputation. Sure, you can put your logo on a stress ball or
plastic clappers, but you ...

fastcompany